1775 – George Washington Takes Command of the Continental Army Washington formally assumes command of the newly formed Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1863 – Battle of Gettysburg Concludes Pickett’s Charge fails, marking the “High Water Mark of the Confederacy” and a decisive Union victory.
1886 – Birth of Raymond A. Spruance Future U.S. Navy admiral whose leadership at Midway helped turn the tide of the Pacific War.
1890 – Idaho Becomes a State Idaho is admitted as the 43rd state of the Union.
1952 – SS United States Begins Maiden Voyage The American ocean liner sets a transatlantic speed record that still stands for a passenger ship.
1962 – Birth of Tom Cruise Award-winning actor born in Syracuse, New York.
1988 – USS Vincennes Shoots Down Iran Air Flight 655 The tragic incident kills all 290 people aboard during heightened Persian Gulf tensions.
1996 – Stone of Scone Returned to Scotland The historic coronation stone is returned to Edinburgh after nearly 700 years in England.
1054 – Crab Nebula Supernova Appears A brilliant stellar explosion is recorded by Chinese and Arab astronomers.
1776 – Declaration of Independence Adopted The Continental Congress approves America’s founding document.
1802 – West Point Opens The United States Military Academy begins educating Army officers.
1826 – Death of Thomas Jefferson The principal author of the Declaration dies on its 50th anniversary.
1826 – Death of John Adams America’s second president dies the same day as Jefferson.
1863 – Fall of Vicksburg Union victory secures control of the Mississippi River.
1863 – Lee Withdraws from Gettysburg Confederate forces retreat to Virginia following their defeat.
1883 – Birth of Rube Goldberg Cartoonist famous for creating absurdly complicated machines.
1918 – Execution of Czar Nicholas II and Family
Russia’s last imperial family is murdered by the Bolsheviks.
1775 – Olive Branch Petition Approved Congress makes one final attempt to reconcile with Britain before independence.
1937 – SPAM Introduced Hormel launches the canned meat product that becomes a household name.
1941 – German Army Reaches the Dnieper River Operation Barbarossa continues its rapid advance into the Soviet Union.
1943 – Battle of Kursk Begins The largest tank battle in history opens on the Eastern Front.
1946 – Modern Bikini Debuts The swimsuit is introduced in Paris, revolutionizing swimwear fashion.
1950 – Battle of Osan Task Force Smith becomes the first U.S. unit to engage North Korean forces.
1996 – Birth of Dolly the Sheep The world’s first cloned mammal is born.
1189 – Richard the Lionheart Crowned King Richard I begins his reign as King of England.
1415 – Jan Hus Executed The Czech religious reformer is burned at the stake for heresy.
1535 – Sir Thomas More Executed Henry VIII’s former chancellor is beheaded for refusing to accept the king as head of the Church.
1917 – Capture of Aqaba Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence seize the strategic Ottoman port.
1946 – Birth of George W. Bush The future 43rd President of the United States is born.
1947 – AK-47 Enters Production The Soviet assault rifle begins mass production.
2009 – Death of Robert McNamara Former U.S. Secretary of Defense dies at age 93.
1798 – Quasi-War with France Escalates Congress voids treaties with France, increasing naval tensions.
1846 – U.S. Occupies Monterey and Yerba Buena American forces secure key California settlements during the Mexican-American War.
1863 – First Federal Military Draft Authorized Congress institutes conscription to replenish Union forces.
1865 – Lincoln Conspirators Executed Four people convicted in President Lincoln’s assassination are hanged.
1930 – Construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam Begins One of America’s greatest engineering projects gets underway.
1967 – Death of Vivien Leigh The Academy Award-winning actress best known as Scarlett O’Hara dies.
1099 – First Crusade Nears Jerusalem Crusaders complete a religious procession before the final assault on the city.
1839 – Birth of John D. Rockefeller Future Standard Oil founder and philanthropist is born.
1853 – Commodore Perry Arrives in Japan The “Black Ships” begin opening Japan to Western trade.
1933 – Birth of Marty Feldman British comedian and actor is born.
1951 – Paris Celebrates 2,000 Years France marks the ancient city’s long history.
1960 – Francis Gary Powers Charged with Espionage The captured U-2 pilot is formally accused by the Soviet Union.
1789 – French National Assembly Becomes Constituent Assembly Revolutionary legislators assert sole authority to write a new constitution.
1846 – Retrocession of Alexandria to Virginia Authorized Congress approves returning land south of the Potomac to Virginia.
1868 – 14th Amendment Ratified Citizenship and equal protection are guaranteed under the Constitution.
1896 – William Jennings Bryan Delivers “Cross of Gold” Speech The famous address propels Bryan to the Democratic presidential nomination.
1943 – Operation Husky Begins Allied forces invade Sicily, opening the Italian Campaign.
1944 – Saipan Declared Secure U.S. forces complete one of the Pacific War’s most costly island campaigns.
1947 – Birth of O.J. Simpson Former football star and actor is born.
1962 – Starfish Prime Nuclear Test A high-altitude nuclear detonation creates one of history’s largest electromagnetic pulse events.
Actually Jacob, a majority of these events are created by recreational boaters pumping their holding tanks out into the water.…
From the spill in the Elizabeth River no doubt
"Pedestrians have the right of way." -Famous last words-
Pedestrians always have the right of way.
In other words there will be potential bike path injuries and deaths. Idiot drivers vs knucklehead bike riders vs 12…